Folding cellular phones have been in widespread use. A general folding cellular phone is comprised of an upper unit having a display, etc. and a lower unit having an operating section, etc., which are rotationally connected to each other with a hinge so as to be foldable (openable and closable). Besides, there has been proposed a folding cellular phone provided with a hinge driving mechanism. The folding cellular phone has a built-in hinge driving mechanism including a motor and the like to enable the opening/closing or rotational movement of the upper and lower units round the axis of a hinge unit.
The aforementioned folding cellular phone with a hinge driving mechanism has a switch to drive the motor for opening/closing the upper and lower units so that a user can open/close the units at the flip of the switch. However, the functions of the folding cellular phone have not been fully developed, and the cellular phone is insufficient in usability and the like. Much the same is true for various portable information terminals, having two bodies (units) connected to one another by means other than a hinge.
On the other hand, portable information terminal equipment such as a folding cellular phone informs a user of the receipt of a call or an e-mail message, etc. in a prescribed manner, as for example by a ring tone, flashing lights, vibrations, and a display of characters or images.
There is found folding portable communication equipment having an upper body and a lower body, which are immediately opened when receiving a transmission in Japanese Patent Application laid open No. 2002-281116. In the folding portable communication equipment, when a reception detecting means detects the receipt of a transmission, a control means controls a drive means to open the upper and lower bodies. However, the folding portable communication equipment does not perform the informing process at the time of reception in cooperation with the drive means to improve usability.